“I was ten years old when I began going out with boys. At first, we would hold hands and kiss. Soon, though, we were touching intimate body parts and experimenting with various sexual activities. When I was 15, I started working and was approached by men on the job who wanted to go all the way with sex. I wanted to be daring and join my workmates in whatever they were doing. I wanted my associates to accept me, which in turn led to more and more sexual experimentation.”​—SARAH,* AUSTRALIA.

WOULD it surprise you to learn that Sarah was brought up in a religiously devout home? Her parents tried to raise her to live by the Bible’s moral standards. But Sarah chose a different course.

Many would agree with Sarah’s choice. They believe that the Bible’s view of sex is hopelessly out-of-date. Others see no conflict between claiming to be religiously devout and pursuing a sexually permissive lifestyle.

Does it matter whether you know and live by what the Bible teaches about sex? The Bible claims that it is “inspired of God and beneficial for teaching.” (2 Timothy 3:16) If you believe that God created humans and that the Bible is his inspired Word, then what it says on the subject is worth knowing.

Unfortunately, many are confused about what the Bible teaches concerning sex. Religious leaders who claim to respect the Bible promote conflicting ideas. In fact, the issue has divided many mainstream churches.

Rather than rely on what others say, why not take a few minutes to investigate the subject for yourself? The following article considers ten frequently asked questions about the Bible’s view of sex. In that article you will find frank answers based on what the Bible really teaches. The last article in this series will consider why the choices we make do matter.